Topic: Do you prefer 3rd party over 1st party Nintendo games?

@Anti-Matter
This sounds like you tried something and you didn't like it. But from earlier I sounded like you regularly force yourself to play games you don't like so you can be like everyone else.

Obviously, you don't have to do that. I don't think anyone cares that you don't like certain games. And if they do, just ignore them. Just enjoy the games you enjoy.

I’m with @Anti-Matter. 3rd party titles give diversity to the Nintendo lineup. For better or worse, Nintendo titles have become very formulaic and while they generally evolve the core game concepts with each titles it’s more or less the same. Third party titles have an opportunity for exposure to innovative game concepts, or at least just different gameplay. I still love playing games like Super Mario Bros and Metroid, but have moved on to playing almost exclusively co-op games like Monster Hunter and Minecraft, which is a field Nintendo only dabbled in with games like Dragalia Lost.

@Anti-Matter it's interesting that Kirby is so low on your list. It's one if the most cartoony-for-kids franchises Nintendo has. Just goes to show that even though people have preferences for general types of games, individual games can break the trend.

Personally I find Arms and Splatoon kind of similar. Both are colorful and cartoony fighting games. Splatoon is a bit less violent but also has the focus on teamplay so obviously they're not the same at all but my brain still puts them in the same category.

Back to the third party question, Skywake makes an excellent point at just how much the Nintendo IP sells consoles like Switch. In theory Switch is an excellent reasonably priced machine for playing indies and third party games, especially for people who don't care about the mega-graphics PS5 type games. This was even more true before semi-competitors like steam deck existed. However I think the vast majority of people bought Switch with Nintendo IP in mind.

I personally find the question weird. "3rd party" is an entirely meaningless distinction when it comes to game quality. Specific developers matter, for sure, but the term "3rd party" lumps them all together and reduces the term to nothing.

@FishyS
I have very low hype with Kirby games since I only have Kirby game Star Allies as my first time playing Kirby game.

ARMS and ACNH are my biggest hype since both of them are the games with genre I like the most (Boxing and Life Sim games).

@Anti-Matter I only played the demo of Star Allies but I kind of hated it. Kirby has some great games and some pretty mediocre ones.

ACNH will always be one of the stars of the Switch generation; definitely a good game.

Ding ding!

RH isn’t trying to be Nintendo ddr, which is just fine, but it is a rhythm game, that Nintendo owns, so if you were to play said type of game, and if you like said type of game, chances are you will like rhythm haven, now that’s not the case for everyone of course, but it’s still something A person CAN do, now maybe for you that’s not the case, but it can be for someone else, now I can’t speak for everyone but I know if I wanted too, I could just play first partys titles for a wile.

I do like the occasional snippets of Anti I see in this thread, makes me aware of how completely off the rails this thread must look like to some. There is some blatant irony in that last post. Kinda amusing that someone could say with a straight face that they keep expanding their gaming experiences and are super open minded about what's out there. Then goes on a tirade about how Nintendo doesn't make this very specific genre of game. Before dismissing a Nintendo published title entirely because of "the look of it" and then Nintendo published titles entirely

Kinda reminds me of when I was like 15 and was super obnoxious about not liking very specific genres of music. I'd go on forums like this and rant punk was all the same, that rap was garbage, country was for rednecks, pop was trash. But then I grew up and realised that labels are dumb and what matters is whether or not the thing itself is good. And in hindsight realised that, in fact, when I was making those arguments I was either being entirely dishonest or I was just completely ignorant of a whole range of artists

Saying you don't like an entire category of art? I mean, you can feel that way if you must. And maybe you legitimately do. But it's a bit unwise to cut yourself off from entire collections of works because of some arbitrary category or worse some image you're trying to project. Doing that is quite literally the reverse of "expanding your experiences". Saying "Rhythm Heaven looks straight flat and boring for me" is, frankly, as dumb as me when I was 15 saying I didn't like Rap while simultaneously liking The Avalanches, Beastie Boys, Hilltop Hoods and Outkast. Just.... super dumb....

Star Allies, while I liked it, is not a very strong entry in the Kirby series. You might want to check out the other two Switch games (both have demos) or, if you have a 3DS, pick up the 3DS ones. Triple Deluxe especially.

@Allspice
Star Allies was the only Kirby game I can make a Friend and they became helpful NPCs during the battle.
I have a plan to get Kirby Forgotten Island & Return to Dreamland Deluxe but it seems I have to buy them very late as my hype currently is looking for more 3rd party games.

It's not the only game where you can do that, though the other is old. Kirby Super Star on the SNES and its remake on the DS, which is the one I played. It's on NSO if you want to try it.

Yeah that’s my thing of why not both? I remember going to a music festival as a kid and my group of friends was very alt/hard rock/punk focussed and I decided against seeing The Flaming Lips who was playing there because of the group not being into them as they are too hippy indie, I saw them years later and they were bloody awesome and I regretted not seeing them earlier especially for some meh forgotten rock band.

Plus you know if I’m willing to play/listen to all types it means I can more easily validate my opinions (especially the pretentious ones) about how something is utterly rubbish or something is utterly brilliant by not being ignorant of what’s out there.

Yo.
Long time no see some discussions here about 1st party vs 3rd party games.
Another reasons why I prefer 3rd party games because the developers can mix and match two or more different genres into new game experience.
For example from Dragon Quest Builders and Portal Knights that got inspiration from Minecraft.
I personally do not like Minecraft at all, but I really like Portal Knights and Dragon Quest Builders games because the characters & environments are not blocky and they are match with my taste so they quickly became my favorites since the gameplay are combination of Minecraft style with action combat + Animal Crossing / The Sims style home furnishing.

Nintendo still haven't have game like this.
The only life sim game with terraforming aspect from Nintendo was ACNH and it was not literally Minecraft style.
If Nintendo make a new IP with genre like Portal Knights / Dragon Quest Builders, I will gladly liking the game.

@Anti-Matter I mean... Nintendo might not happen to have a game like Dragon Quest Builders, but there is nothing about being a first party company that is stopping them. Nintendo is making what appears to be a rogue-like in their Splatoon DLC which is an even crazier mashup of different genres. Nintendo also combined exercise game and rpg. 😆The only fundamental reason there are more genre mashups in third party games than first party is because there are far more third party games developed than the relatively few first party. I also play more third party games, not because they are better, but because there are more of them. 😝

That said, I would love an animal crossing game with more extensive building and terraforming aspects. And I agree Dragon Quest Builders is a great game. I wish Nintendo would do more crazy genre mashups because they are often really fun when they do do them.

For the most part on the Switch, yes. Really great to see DOOM (2016), Atelier series, and many others present on the Switch alongside other platforms.

Not to throw any sort of shade at first-party Switch games as a few of them (Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Pikmin 4, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Kirby Star Allies) did wow me quite a lot...but as far as others go, I felt that Nintendo (and their developers) wasn't at their best compared to their inputs on most of the previous systems.

To be fair, Switch is cheaper than the other options. Also the 'more options to play' is not actually true except for PC — Switch has well over 10,000 games which I believe is more than both PlayStation and Xbox (but of course far less than Steam).

This thread has touched on this topic before, but I'd be very curious to know what percentage of Switch owners never play Nintendo games... we know the number can't be very high because half of Switch owners own Mario Kart. 😝 On the other hand, I think there are plenty of people who play at least 50% third party on Switch — even as an ultra Nintendo fan I still play mostly third party.

@FishyS
Yeah.
3rd party games quantity are way more than 1st party Nintendo games and that give me a lot of choices.
I still give credits for 1st party Nintendo games that I have interest about like Animal Crossing, Mario games, Mii games, Star Fox on GameCube, Donkey Kong Wii, Style Savvy 3DS, etc.

Howdy, guys.
Long time didn't post any comment here.
I still get hyped by 3rd party games as they are always give me variety and new gaming experiences.
One thing I don't like from certain 1st party Nintendo games is the antics of the games which is limited the gaming experiences by unusual restriction that might be a charm for one people but it will be a nightmare for me and other people.

Let's say older Animal Crossing games especially on GameCube which you have been forced to play the game everyday or you will get consequence by your villagers will moving out without telling you.
For some Nintendo fans it might the charm that make Animal Crossing different than life sim games, but for me with gaming experience from The Sims, I hate to see my villagers moving out by themselves like the game took away my precious stuffs if I don't play the game by one day. I don't have a time to play one game everyday, give me some break and when I return, I will not miss a thing.
This the Nintendo fans antics that I don't like at all.
They considered the losing of villagers as a good thing, but for me it's really insulting my effort. I want to keep them forever, just let me keep them all if I don't play the game. And this I will not consider older Animal Crossing games with their primitive features.

I would rather playing similar 3rd party games like Animal Crossing which give me freedom to keep my stuffs all and I will not get penalty for not playing by one day rather than following the Nintendo games antics which I don't like the conservative features.

@Anti-Matter Even though I like Animal Crossing, the pressure to play every single day does make me go somewhat crazy. Villagers may not leave in newer games, but they still kind of guilt trip you which feels bad. 😆 Lately I've been enjoying more laid back life sims like Fae Farm.